Watching “Caught Stealing,” you possibly can’t assist however marvel what attracted filmmaker Darren Aronofsky to the mission.
Positive, you work he’d learn and loved the novel of the identical identify by Charlie Huston on which it’s primarily based, and, sure, that occurred almost twenty years in the past, in line with the manufacturing notes for the film model sliding into theaters this week.
However this comparatively light-weight story of a former highschool baseball phenom-turned-bartender who turns into entangled within the felony underworld of New York Metropolis is so completely different from his extra formidable works. That this comes from the person who directed 2000’s “Requiem for a Dream,” 2006’s “The Fountain,” 2010’s “Black Swan” and 2017’s underappreciated “Mother!” is hard to consider. In the event you squint, possibly the more-grounded-in-reality “Caught Stealing” shares some issues in widespread with 2008’s “The Wrestler” and 2022’s “The Whale,” however not a lot.
The important thing factor to know is Aronofsky was dwelling in Manhattan’s East Village within the late Nineteen Nineties — the first setting of the story — when he made his first characteristic, “Pi” (1998), and calls the New York of that point “peak humanity.”
Effectively, the uneven however in the end vaguely satisfying “Caught Stealing” is much from peak Aronofsky, however his adoration of the time, place and supply materials is obvious within the body.
Austin Butler is our hero, who, following a automotive accident years in the past, nonetheless has an exquisite baseball swing however not the knee that may permit him to compete within the majors. He nonetheless roots passionately for his hometown San Francisco Giants — his hope was to have been drafted years in the past by the group in the midst of the primary spherical of Main League Baseball’s draft — though he in any other case has assimilated into late-night New York life.
We meet him close to the tip of his shift behind the bar of a watering gap round closing time, 4 a.m., when he’s paid a go to by Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), who’s working scorching after her shift as a paramedic and desires to spend the evening at his residence.
It’s there, not lengthy after, that he encounters a few Russian mobsters searching for his next-door neighbor and punk-rock fanatic, Russ (a hilariously mohawked Matt Smith of “House of the Dragon”), who’s bolted to England, allegedly to see his sick father. Hank’s assembly with the goons goes poorly, and wakes within the hospital down a kidney.
Meaning no extra booze for him, Yvonne says — and this can be a man who’d loved “the breakfast of champions” upon waking about 1 p.m. after his evening along with her.
Hank doesn’t know what the Russians had been hoping to search out at Russ’, and he tells as a lot to a police detective, Elise Roman (Regina King), who says she thinks he’s hiding one thing. Not lengthy after this assembly, he’s — a key he’s discovered Russ has hidden. And, so as to add to his points, Hank is also being hunted by Shmully (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Lipa (Liev Schreiber), a pair of Orthodox Jewish brothers who respect their spiritual custom whereas additionally being comfy toting machine weapons and killing as wanted.
Battered however not damaged, Hank stays on the transfer, determined to discover a manner out of this example along with his life — and with the protection of somebody who means a fantastic deal to him.
Butler (“Elvis,” “The Bikeriders”) — giving off younger Brad Pitt vibes, as he generally does — is fairly compelling as our flawed however likable protagonist. He’s pained when he misses a name again residence to Mother, who additionally lives and dies with the Giants, and he grows an increasing number of determined to guard Buddy, the cat Russ left with him.
Butler’s scenes with Kravitz (“The Batman,” “Big Little Lies”) have that sure spark, and we want “Caught Stealing” supplied extra of them. She brings wanted humanity to the affair as Yvonne, who’s more and more determined for Hank to get his stuff collectively.
Other than that, Schreiber, D’Onofrio and Smith are playful of their roles, however they don’t actually transfer the needle.
King, in the meantime, who’s wildly gifted and an Academy Award winner for 2019’s “If Beale Street Could Talk,” both goes by the motions right here or not proper for the function of the cop on the center of the insanity. It’s borderline surprising that the actor doesn’t add extra to the proceedings.
Behind the digicam, working from Huston’s screenplay, Aronofsky brings a number of creative thrives to “Caught Stealing,” resembling nifty digicam work throughout a sequence during which Hank maneuvers by fireplace escapes whereas attempting to keep away from the unhealthy guys. And we admire the lived-in griminess of the New York Metropolis he’s given us right here. Nonetheless, you’d anticipate one thing past this from him.
It’s clear Aronofsky needed, for as soon as, to make a enjoyable film, and he says as a lot within the manufacturing notes. And “Caught Stealing,” boosted by authentic songs by English punk rockers Idles, IS enjoyable … however solely kinda and, at finest, on and off.
It’s additionally largely, though not solely, predictable.
In the end, It’s the type of film that may wait. Provided that choices from the movie’s studio, Sony’s Columbia Footage, have a tendency to finish up on Netflix earlier than later, the advice right here is to go to Aronofsky’s New York of 1998 from the consolation of your lounge down the road.
‘CAUGHT STEALING’
2.5 stars (out of 4)
MPA ranking: R (for robust violent content material, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and temporary drug use)
Working time: 1:47
The best way to watch: In theaters
